Junior Spartans sweep Lions in Tehama Shootout win

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Red Bluff Junior Spartans Johnny Morales, #88, runs the ball down the field on Saturday in the 10U game at the Tehama Shootout with #21 from the Corning Lions closing in for a tackle. (Julie Zeeb – Daily News)

CORNING — The Corning Lions and the Red Bluff Junior Spartans went head to head, by age group, Saturday at Corning High School’s Cardinal Stadium, with the Junior Spartans coming out on top, taking wins in all four of the games.

In the first round, the Junior Spartans pulled out ahead and took a 32-0 win in the 8U division. In the 10U game, Red Bluff pulled out in the first quarter with a 6-0 lead and secured their victory with a 40-0 score.

A player for the Corning Lions brings down Red Bluff Junior Spartans’ Nickolas Mejia, #24, on Saturday in the 10U game at the Tehama Shootout.(Julie Zeeb — Daily News)

The Junior Spartans continued the trend with a 42-0 win in the 12U division followed by a 33-0 victory in the final game of the day, the 14U division.

The Junior Tehama County Shootout, an extension of the annual rivalry between the Red Bluff Spartans and the Corning Cardinals, has been going on since at least 2011, the first date found on the Peewee Championship plaque. The original Tehama County Shootout has been around since 1964.

“The Tehama County Shootout is a rival tradition between Corning and Red Bluff high schools, but even at the youth level, the shootout is a big deal,” said Junior Spartan board member and cheer coordinator Maylissa Carrillo.

Under NorCalFed, the two youth programs had played each other and the spirit of the rival was alive and well for years. But 2017 was the last year the teams were able to play one another before the rivalry was revived for Saturday’s game.

“Our hope with this game is to keep the rivalry between the two towns within Tehama County going and continue into high school,” Carrillo said. “The kids want this game and we are willing to do what it takes to make this game happen for them.”

Julie Zeeb is a North State native and covers the county and education beats for the Red Bluff Daily News. She has been with the Daily News since she started freelancing for the paper in July 2007 and lived in Tehama County since 2009.